Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for producing a body of a passenger car, such a body of a passenger car, and an installation for producing such a body of a passenger car.
In series production of passenger cars, a plurality of body components are usually connected to each other, for example, through welding or adhesive bonding in order to produce the vehicle structure. It is further known that individual body components of the body can be provided with a plastic in order to configure them as hybrid components. Such hybrid components are used, for example, in instrument supports, door supports or other support components.
Existing passenger car bodies usually consist of a plurality of individual parts connected to each other by joining techniques requiring great resources and expenditure. In order to achieve sufficient precision in the joining-together of the individual body components, a plurality of individual operations are required on very expensive assembly lines. The individual body components that usually consist of a steel or aluminum alloy are formed into the desired geometry in presses or on shell construction lines and put together to form the body in further work steps by welding robots. In particular, with aluminum body components other joining techniques such as clinch-bonding or similar are also used. Optionally the body components are also put together in differential construction—thus with different joining technologies—for example if individual body parts consist of a fiber-reinforced plastic. This leads to many individual and expensive steps with high costs and imprecision. A further problem is that it has only been possible up to now to add components, units, cables or similar to the body or integrate them therein using extremely great resources.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, a body and an installation of the type mentioned above, by means of which a significantly simplified production and assembly process of the body is achieved.
In order to provide a method, by means of which the body of the passenger car can be created in a significantly simplified production and assembly method, in accordance with the present invention the body is produced in a combined internal high pressure forming and injection molding process. In other words, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention all or at least a large proportion of the vehicle body is produced in a correspondingly combined internal high pressure forming and injection molding installation. This takes place, for example, in that corresponding body components are connected to each other or fitted through internal high pressure forming and/or injection molding of plastic. It is possible, for example, to connect individual body components to each other in a shape-locking way, for example through corresponding internal high pressure forming methods such as hydro-clinching or hydro-punch-riveting. It is likewise possible to connect the body components to each other through the intermediary of hybrid connecting nodes using plastic. Additionally, the plastic can also be used to mold corresponding reinforcing structures at least partially on the respective body components. For example, a weight reduction can be produced, as the wall thicknesses of the body components can also be correspondingly reduced. In addition component and/or function regions for components, units or parts can be integrated in the plastic.
As a result there is a significant simplification of the process for producing the passenger car body, as not only the body components can be joined together in one stage but also a plurality of function regions or similar, required up to now and arranged separately on the body, can now be an integral constituent part of the body.
A further advantage lies in the drastic reduction in the number of individual components, from which the vehicle body is joined together. In addition there is a quality improvement through fewer work steps in comparison with other joining methods, which is reflected in lower production tolerances and lower repetition tolerances. A further advantage is that a body with high rigidity, strength and structural integrity, for example in case of accident-related force impact, can be realized through point-by-point reinforcement of the structural components with the plastic. Further advantages are the high ecological sustainability of this design and economy even with small numbers. In addition, new types of unusual design concepts can be provided through the present method extremely rapidly and cost-effectively. The very high function integration thereby reduces also the subsequent production costs and times. In addition there are lower industrialization costs for the infrastructure and buildings and lower investment costs, for example through the omission of cathodic immersion painting and other installations, for example painting installations.
The advantages described above in connection with the method according to the invention apply in the same way for a body and an installation.